Darkest Edge
by Mizuki99
Summary: Sequel to Darkest Fire. Semi-AU. With the date of the coronation rapidly approaching, Tsuna quickly finds himself overwhelmed with the preparations. Those preparations are put on hold, however, when the Vendice come to collect on the debt that is owed. Can Tsunayoshi handle the task or will he crumble under the weight of the request that the Vendice have made of him? RatedT for now
1. Chapter 1: Loyalty Initiation

**_Author's Note_**: The long awaited sequel to Darkest Fire!

The warnings are the same as before: dark themes, minor OC use, fast action scenes and a multiple fandoms-some you may have heard of and some you haven't.

PS- thank my muse. She helped me lay out a few ideas.

**_Pairings:_**R27X/X27R, RX (I have no idea how I'm going to pull this off but I'll manage), implied Ver86 and a few others I can't remember off the top of my head.

_**Summary**: _ Sequel to Darkest Fire. Semi-AU. With the date of the coronation rapidly approaching and a new threat lingering on the horizon, Tsuna quickly finds himself overwhelmed. And to make matters worse, the task force designated to investigating anything and everything that has to do with the Vongola has a new leader. How will Tsuna cope with the balancing act that will undoubtedly follow?

* * *

Twenty year old Sawada Tsunayoshi was, without a doubt, bored out of his skull. His eyes flashed slightly as yet another nameless, faceless Family member knelt before him and pledged their undying loyalty to him. Tsuna smiled blithely down at them, his eyes reflecting their nature even if either of them comprehended it completely.

How many of them would be killed within the first month? How many would be executed? How many of these people would betray him? Thoughts like that circled his mind as, one by one, they kissed his ring and vowed their loyalty to yet another Vongola Don.

With the last of his blacklist annihilated, the Mafia had quickly learned that Vongola Decimo was, indeed, an Old Blood and was trained very well in the Old Ways. He would not tolerate betrayal. He would not tolerate insolence but most of all, he would not let bias cloud his judgment. With his council behind him (and the Elders breathing down his neck about bullshit that they should really learn to keep their noses out of), Tsunayoshi would be virtually unstoppable.

Or so goes the public's opinion.

'_I sound like a dictator._' Tsuna thought with amusement. '_But then… with a family this big, I guess that's to be expected._'

The past three years had been real eye-openers for him. Kyoko had redeemed herself—though there were still some suspicions amongst his Elements—and Haru had taken to being under the Varia's care. Her training with Bianchi had ended and Colonnello had begun teaching her a wider range of martial arts. She still acted as Verde's handler but it was looking less and less like that kind of platonic relationship and more like Verde was actually _falling_ for the female Cloud and his feelings were _mutual_ (which was weird… but he wouldn't call them on it because it would be hypocritical of him—he, too, was _interested_ in an Arcobaleno, after all).

Hayato and Takeshi were still firmly together but Kyoya and Mukuro had split, deciding to explore other options. Chrome was engaged (imagine that!) to Ken (who had been so out of character in the days before the proposal, Chrome had feared the worst and Mukuro's cryptic statements hadn't helped matters) but the wedding wasn't going to happen for a few years as Ken and Chikusa (who was going to be the best man, ironically enough) wanted to adjust to their time as part of Vongola Decimo's Council and Chrome to her submissive half of the Mist Guardian position.

Ryohei had finished his studies and had completed four degrees in the different forms of medicine and one in biology, choosing to go through—ah—less than legal means rather than putting in _all_ of the time required as he had planned to do originally. It had only taken a year—a tiresome year but a year nonetheless. Takeshi and Hayato had studied as well but none of them really held any masteries.

Tsuna, however, had studied art and design on top of English literature. He could now forge any painting given—in fact, that's how what he would be to the public eye… an art collector.

The doors opened, drawing Tsuna out of his musings as well as everyone's attention. Tsuna allowed his eyes to drift upwards, looking at their… new arrivals and he resisted the very prominent urge to get up and rather childishly tackle the new arrival in an embrace where they would then proceed to leave this forsaken place and have some real fun.

But the vows were not done yet… and that meant that Tsunayoshi's butt was glued to this chair for another half hour.

He mentally sneered. He wanted out _now_.

"Impatience doesn't suit you," Reborn said almost inaudibly from behind him. Tsuna rolled his eyes. "But I know the feeling. I miss the power play between us."

"Oh please," Tsunayoshi said with a smile playing at his lips. "I know all about how the two of you played together in Milan a year and a half ago." Reborn chuckled lowly but said nothing. "I just regret that I couldn't have joined in."

The object of their attention had grown—but then that was to be expected. Physically, he looked to be about twenty two, twenty three… but Tsunayoshi wasn't fooled. This man had at least ten years over Tsuna. The only reason he didn't look his age was because his father had sealed him away using the Vongola Primo's Zero Point Breakthrough…

Even so. Xanxus had changed. His eyes were molten, practically glowing garnet in the shade of the dimly lit room. His eyes were narrow, traced with a natural thin black line. His hair was longer, now resembling Vongola Secondo more than he had previously.

"Fashionably late again, I see," Tsunayoshi commented as soon as one of the Storm squadron vice-captains retreated back to the crowd. There was a ripple of excitement pooling at the base of his belly now but then Xanxus always could elicit that reaction from him… even when they were enemies (though they had certainly come a long way from that time).

Xanxus chuckled lowly, his purr vibrating through the stillness of the air as he picked up on Tsuna's thoughts. They may as well spread some rumors throughout the entirety of the Family. "I'm here aren't I?"

While many probably saw it as a sign of disrespect, to approach the boss so casually, Tsunayoshi did not. He could see the underlying affection and something much, much darker and smoldering burning in behind his eyes. "But of course," He said by way of agreement. There was another ripple of excitement through the crowd. Tsuna paid them no mind. It was not the first time he would submit to one of his so-called subordinates and it would not be the last.

Reborn laughed behind him. Tsuna resisted the urge to turn around so he could read his… External Adviser's expression (he would never really get used to that). "I never thought I'd see the day you, of all people, pledged _undying loyalty_ to the one person you sought to destroy almost seven years ago."

"Just like an assassin." Xanxus said, smiling like a serpent. "You can't let the past be the past."

Tsuna's eyes narrowed as a sinking feeling of impatience began to flare on the edges of his Will. He felt Hayato shift uncomfortably—though to anyone else it would look like a casual movement—as the implications behind the impatience hit him full force.

Oh dear, he thought. Their three-way relationship wouldn't be kept a secret for very much longer, now would it? Tsuna fought the urge to throw his head back and laugh.

"All for a good reason," Reborn said simply.

Tsuna inclined his head. "Now, now, Reborn," Tsuna said after a few moments. "I'm sure Xanxus has changed." Xanxus took a willful stride down the aisle, his Elements following in rank formation behind him. Each step made Tsuna's heart pick up speed just a bit.

"But of course," Xanxus said before he knelt, his Elements echoing the action behind him. He could see Squalo's eyes flashing with sadistic amusement. "It will by my honor to serve you, Vongola Decimo."

Perhaps he wasn't expecting anything in return. Perhaps it was the threadbare remnants of his father's lies that lead him not to expect anything, even from one of his lovers… but Tsuna would forever deny the way it had _hurt_, knowing that Xanxus flinched under the weight of his next words. "The honor will be all mine… my own."

* * *

Tsunayoshi looked good in power, Xanxus admitted without bothering with trivial denials, but he looked even better when he was utterly powerless against him, pressed against sheets and begging for release. Flushed cheeks, glazed amber eyes, skin slicked with sweat… all of it. Xanxus just couldn't get enough of it.

But then… there was one thing that made him look even better than all of that. When his back was pressed against Reborn's chest, neck craned back as the Arcobaleno assassin ravished his mouth with a hot and wet kiss—when Xanxus and Reborn had both marked him and the three of them lay in the bed in the aftermath of their intense love-making.

And in all honesty, Xanxus didn't know what it was that drove him to be so needy on that particular night either. They hadn't really been _together_ in the last three years, only being able to meet up on fortunate accidents, but their relationship wasn't just about the sex anymore so there was really no excuse for his control to strain the way it did—hell, even Reborn and Xanxus, two dominant-alpha males had connected on a deeper level, although their relationship individually was _mostly_ platonic at this point.

But the fact remained that as soon as the loyalty ceremony was done and over with, Xanxus had caught the Don-to-be in a bare moment, when his Guardian/Underbosses were making nice with the rest of the Council. He hadn't been able to get him alone as Reborn had been with him but Xanxus didn't mind. He and Reborn had reached an understanding.

The inter-Familial party had been abandoned for the sake of going up to Reborn's personal suite (as it was the closest at the time) to reassert their standing with one another.

And now, they were laying in the aftermath of it. Tsuna was laying on Xanxus' back, his head resting on his shoulder while Reborn leaned against the French double doors that led out to the balcony, taking a long drag of a cigar. "Didn't know you smoked," Xanxus commented after a bit.

Reborn quirked a brow. "I did when I was younger. I get a craving for it every now and again."

"So are either of you going to tell me what happened in Milan eight months ago?" Tsuna asked causally.

Xanxus raised an eyebrow at the adult Arcobaleno. Reborn hadn't told him? The assassin laughed. "I'm letting him brew in suspense. He hasn't stopped asking. I'm debating the merits of making him _beg_."

Xanxus shouldn't have taken the bait, he really shouldn't have, but the way Tsuna's expression pinched was too funny. "Haven't we already made him beg?" Ah. There was that endearing shade of red. Really. He was too fun to tease.

Reborn only laughed.

* * *

"I hope you won't make it a habit to leave a party in the middle of it being thrown." Timoteo commented in what should have been a casual manner if it hadn't been for the fact that he had that stern look in his eye.

Tsuna made a noncommittal sound. "It's Xanxus' fault." He said in the same, flippantly casual manner that the Ninth had tried to aim for.

"How?"

"He wanted to… reaffirm our affinities." He inclined his head as though he were considering which shade of blue would be best for the mini-mansion that would soon act as a vacationing home on one of the small islands just off of the coast of Sicily. Timoteo made a sound akin to a dying animal which made Tsunayoshi look up and tilt his head almost innocently (almost innocently because he _knew_ Xanxus hadn't told his adoptive father anything). "You mean he hadn't told you?"

"Told me what, precisely?" Timoteo's voice was pitched oddly.

Tsuna smiled a sunny little smile that was far too pleasant to be genuine. He really shouldn't be taking advantage of an old man's mental instability but his embitterment towards both the Ninth and Iemitsu made it so he didn't care in the slightest that he was about to drop a bombshell of colossal proportions on him. "That he's in a three-way relationship with the two of us." Tsuna said, holding up his and Reborn's intertwined fingers. There was a strangled cry from behind him shortly followed by a thump.

Iemitsu—who had probably been in the middle of delivering some sort of paperwork if the paper fluttering around him was any key to what the blond was doing there—had fainted.

Yeah, Tsuna thought as his father convulsed on the floor, frothing at the mouth. Tsuna could get used to this.

* * *

FBI Agent Sierra Cortez was no pushover. She took her job seriously, investigating various branches of Organized Crime from her desk at FBI headquarters in Washington DC, but because of a recent injury, she'd been taken off of active duty. A suspect she had been pursuing cornered her and lodged a bullet in her rotator cuff. It was through some miracle that she managed to come out of surgery with minimal nerve damage and no restraints on her movement. She had only just been cleared for field work three days ago so she was still taking it easy.

But this... this was... she had no words to describe this.

She stood in her Director's office, watching him with no small amount of surprise. Was he serious? "Y-You want me to take the lead on the Vongola investigation?" She asked, her lips parting slightly as her throat seemed to constrict. The first word she managed to get out coherently had been a breathless, "_Why?_"

Raynold Hughes was an old man with hair-line scars on the back of his hands. They traced up his forearm before vanishing under his rolled up sleeves. His hair was salt-and-pepper and clung to his head like a helmet. He leaned into his palm, spinning his chair away from the cityscape to pin her with a piercing gaze. "Because you're damn good at what you do." He said. He threw opened a drawer and threw a file forward. She knew without opening it that it was the case report she filed after taking down the suspect that shot her. "And because I will be leaving the FBI soon." He shifted his weight forward and intertwined his fingers. He rested his elbows on the edge of his desk and leaned forward. "I've led this investigation for almost thirty five years now and I've never seen someone with credentials as good as yours, Cortez. Now, I don't give compliments often but I sincerely believe that you have what it takes to take the Vongola down."

Sierra blinked, swallowing back against the lump in her throat. "Sir, I—"

"Just listen to me." He said, raising a scarred, wrinkled hand. Her teeth clicked together as she awaited, somewhat eagerly, her superior's explanation. "Over the years I have accumulated knowledge about the Vongola and their role within the Mafia." He said. She nodded, knowing this to be true. This man was practically a legend in the legal business because of the number of Mafia scum he'd taken down over the years he'd contributed to the Bureau. "It is imperative that you know everything before you start your investigation officially so before you go out on the field with the task force I created specifically for this purpose, you _will_ be trained." His piercing brown eyes seemed to stare right through her soul and she fought the very prominent urge to take a step back at the fire that burned within. Did he mean that _he_ would be the one to train her? "So, without further delay," He stood up, an aura of authority and experience coming off of him in waves and intimidating Sierra just a tiny bit. He held out his hand, a somewhat feral smile aging his face all that much more. "Sierra Cortez… will you lead the Organized Crime Task Force in taking down the Vongola?"

Sierra swallowed. Taking down the Vongola… no one had succeeded before now... and opportunity like this didn't come along very often... but the danger... she would be a fool to take it.

She closed her slate eyes for a moment, steeling her resolve before she gripped her Director's hand firmly.

She'd be an even _bigger_ fool if she _didn't_ take it.

"Yes, sir." She said, grey bleeding into a fierce silver. "I will take down the Vongola."

Raynold smiled. "This... will be the start of a _beautiful_ partnership."

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


	2. Chapter 2: On the DL

**_Author's Note_**: And so, the trouble begins to stack up. See below for notes.

* * *

_It was so bright._

_The light that enveloped him was bright, so sickeningly pure, that it felt as though it was making him just as pure. It seemed to cling to his very essence, cleansing it of all impurities, stripping it and recreating it with a burden that was unfair to someone like him—someone whose only crime was by association._

_Tsuna twisted and writhed and arched in valiant but futile attempts to escape the too-pure nothingness that surrounded him, suffocated him._

_He pried his blinded eyes open and reached out unseeingly. He grasped at the beams of vibrant orange light, catching something in his palm. Instinctively, he brought it close to him and curled around it as a sphere of energy tightened around him. It wrapped around him, dragging the purity with it while something dark and sinister closed around him and that sickening purity._

_They were trapped._

_There was no escape for them anymore—_

Tsuna woke with a violent jerk, one hand flying to his chest, the other flying to the gun hidden in a compartment under his bedside table as tendrils of sleep clung to his half-conscious mind. It took him a few moments to regain his footing but once he did, he slowly let his fingers uncurl from the weapon Reborn had stored in his room hours before the ceremony had begun (one that was painstakingly tedious and took up over half of the night, might he add. He was thankful it ended early due to his departure the night before).

But traditions were traditions, he mused.

"_It is a tradition I found rather tedious myself._"

"Hasn't anyone ever told you it's impolite to eavesdrop on someone else's thoughts?" Tsuna asked lightly, stepping out of bed and meeting the phantom's gaze effortlessly. The phantom in question only inclined his head.

If he was going to pursue further conversation, it was interrupted when there was a knock at his door. He met the guest half-way and blinked. "Squalo." He said, somewhat surprised. The Rain assassin's mouth quirked.

"Did I wake you? Sorry."

"I was already awake." Tsuna said, stepping out. "But since you're here, you can join me for an evening walk. Reborn and Xanxus would have my head if they realized I snuck out this late at night without a guide."

"Did you have a destination in mind?" Squalo asked, falling into step with his Don (because really, he'd only ever have one Sky).

"Not really." Tsuna admitted with an amused quirk of his lips. "Why did you come to my room?"

Squalo cocked his head to the side. "Xanxus asked me to check in on you while he put in a late night at the office at the Varia's estate." Which, if Tsuna remembered properly, was located well across the plot of land that Vongola had reserved for their main headquarters—that also meant that Tsuna wouldn't be seeing him tonight either.

Just his luck too. Reborn had disappeared shortly after announcing their three-way relationship to Iemitsu too.

The two of them fell into a compatible silence, weaving in and out of the shadows to avoid the late night staff that still lingered around the mansion at this time. Tsuna used the silence to mull over his dream (and to sulk, much to Squalo's amusement).

What could it mean? The purity that he had brought into his very core was obviously the Arcobaleno curse—despite the fact that he had yet to tap into the power the pacifier had to offer (which mean the curse was still in a nullified state and therefore wasn't eating away at his life force)… but what was that sinister darkness that had enveloped him?

Could it have been the Vendice? Or was it something much more dangerous?

A chill ran through him and he was hard-pressed to force it aside. How could there have been _anything_ more dangerous than the Vendice?

A hand landed on his shoulder and Tsuna spun around, dropping low to the ground and lashing out with a foot. His opponent leapt back deftly before raising his hands. "Easy, Sawada. It's only me." Squalo said carefully. "What's got you so jumpy?" Tsuna blinked and realized that Squalo was stopping him from running into a grandfather clock. He felt a dull flush spread over his nose—something that hadn't happened to him in a while.

Tsuna opened his mouth to answer but cuts off when he feels a chill run down his spine and he knew that this had nothing to do with his previous thoughts. He motions for Squalo to be quiet and masks his presence carefully. Beside him, Squalo does the same.

That's when Tsuna feels a very familiar presence wash over his skin. '_Otou-san?_' He thought, frowning. What could his father be doing this late at night? Tsuna knew for a fact that Timoteo had retired for the night and that the CEDEF wing was on the east side of the estate. They were currently in the central part. He looked back at Squalo in silent invitation and the Rain nodded. The two of them slunk after the soon-to-be-retired External Adviser but Tsuna soon found himself pursing his lips when his father turned down a hallway that leads to a dead end.

Only it wasn't a dead end.

Tsuna knew that the hallway his father stopped in was one that lead to the underground tunnels that haven't changed since Vongola Primo's time. It was one of the only areas untouched by time. The mansion itself had been built and rebuilt, the layout never changing but the materials used constantly altered because of how many times it had been burned, attacked or otherwise destroyed but the underground tunnels always, _always_, remained untouched and few people knew that they existed.

Only the Dons and the Guardians were privy to that kind of information.

Which begged the question—how did Iemitsu know about them?

"That hallway is a dead end… do you think he's on to us?" Squalo asked, his lips barely moving.

Tsuna shook his head. "Things are not always as they seem in this place." He said in an equally quiet voice. "There are a series of tunnels that lead under the estate. It's the only part of the mansion that's untouched by time and the elements. It holds all artifacts that relate to the original Vongola Family. Daemon had it built in the aftermath of his betrayal. It was the reason Secondo had him executed."

Vongola's history, Tsuna thought, was a tragic and bloody one. The tunnels had been Daemon's way of atoning for his betrayal after Elena had died. He never found out _why_ Giotto didn't stay and fight but Tsuna knew that if he had, his guilt would have doubled or even tripled and _no one_, not even Daemon Spade, deserved to have that kind of guilt.

After all, what Elena—his female counterpart—did before her untimely demise, was punishment enough.

Squalo looked like he wanted to ask but restrained himself because the wall opened up to reveal a downward spiral staircase. The two of them moved forward, sliding through the entrance before it could close all the way and following Iemitsu down the staircase.

Tsuna glanced back at Squalo who scanned his surroundings while being alert of what was in front of him at all times. He'd have to talk to him about this later.

He came to a stop and grabbed Squalo's arm, ducking into a cubby created by two bookshelves. Tsuna made sure his presence was still subdued and ignored the way he and Squalo were crammed in an almost intimate position—he says almost intimate because Squalo was not his therefore he could ignore the way their bodies were so close that not even a piece of paper could slide between them, but he would admit that this would be totally awkward in the aftermath if whatever they found out wasn't worth it.

Something told him that this _would_ be worth it, though, so he refrained from acknowledging Squalo's discomfort.

"You're late." Iemitsu said shortly. Tsuna could tell without seeing his face that the man was frowning. Honestly, he thought. That man frowned as much as Hayato did. Tsuna wished he could see the person Iemitsu was talking to but their angle wasn't a good one and one glance at Squalo told Tsuna that he couldn't see Iemitsu's companion either. "Nevermind," He said, without waiting for a reply. "I don't care for excuses. Your orders are simple. Keep an eye on Tsunayoshi. His reckless abandonment has left the Vongola with far too few allies and _way too many_ questionable acquaintances." Tsuna sneered—still on about Verde and the blacklist.

'_I've got news for you, Iemitsu. The darkest fires often burn the hottest and the hotter the flame, the more than can be destroyed in the end. Will you be part of the damage path?_' He thought.

"What will you do?"

Damn it. His luck sucked tonight. His companion was masking their voice, the paranoid bastard, so Tsuna and Squalo had no way of identifying them from their voice.

He heard Iemitsu shift his weight. "For now, nothing."

"And later?"

"…I plan on putting Sawada Tsunayoshi in his place."

* * *

"Here," Squalo handed him a tape recorder after they'd slipped out of the chamber and went back to Tsuna's room to talk about what they'd heard.

"Thanks." Tsuna's hands fell to his lap. "I'll go over the contents later and give you a copy so you can help me investigate." He paused. "I don't need to tell you that those tunnels are a secret but can I ask that you keep this from the rest of the Varia?" Squalo nodded silently. "Thanks, Squalo." Tsuna smiled slightly before he made a move to stand up.

His action was cut off, however, when a flash that only he could see flared in his eyes. A haunting string of words crossed his mind and he found his lips moving in accordance with the words as they formed in his mind.

"_The Light has faded from view, the Night has settled. Hide the truth and all will come crashing down. Deceive them to protect them but know that all illusions shatter like the surface of a lake, rippled by a stone. All will come to an end. Speak the truth and the Light will appear once again._"

And then all faded to black.

* * *

Xanxus let out a long string of curses when yet another incompetent lackey dropped off their reports for the next month and a half. When he'd said he'd dedicate the rest of the evening to paperwork, he didn't mean that all of the assholes could drop off their overdue reports and have them signed as well.

Oh, he needed to shoot something.

"You look happy." Reborn said amusedly from the balcony. Xanxus stiffened slightly, his hand curling around the fountain pen for a moment before loosening.

"Just. Fucking. Peachy." He sneered as he signed the paper with a little more force than necessary."I'm surprised you aren't with Tsunayoshi."

"Tsunayoshi isn't in his rooms. I believe he snuck out for a midnight stroll with your Rain. I caught them on one of the security cameras so it's not as though he isn't safe." Reborn shrugged eloquently. "That is not why I'm here though."

"Of course not." Xanxus said mildly, setting the pen down and rubbing the ache out of his hand. "You're here because of that prick, Iemitsu." Never let it be said that Xanxus couldn't connect the dots—although, after their talk about a year and a half ago, it wasn't that hard to guess.

"—

_"Who do you think attacked Tsunayoshi that night?" Reborn asked as he packed the rest of his carry on. The two of them had met up accidentally while they were on a run and their missions had ended in a dual investigation—not that Xanxus minded._

_"I think that Iemitsu did it." Reborn's eyebrows shot up._

_"Why?"_

_"He wants me declawed." Xanxus snorted. "The only logical explanation would be to frame me for an assassination attempt I didn't commit **or** to threaten the people I'm most willing to lay down my life for."_

_Reborn smirked. "Admitting that you care for him so soon?"_

_"Are you denying it?" Xanxus countered._

_"Touché."_

—"

They hadn't finished their conversation and the next time that they met, in Berlin, they had been far too… _busy_… to get around to catching up from where they left off. Tonight, however, that was not the case.

Although Xanxus wouldn't mind if they _did_ somehow get busy.

Reborn smirked, "Don't tempt me, Xanxus."

Fucking mind reader. "Who's tempting who?" Xanxus asked as Reborn swaggered over to the desk and leaned casually against it. His eyes traced over Reborn's backside for a moment before he looked back up at a too-smug smirk.

"We have a conversation to finish, you horny dog." Reborn said, helping himself to a glass of scotch. "What happens _after the_ fact…" Reborn trailed off, giving Xanxus a significant once-over. "Well, we'll see."

Xanxus picked up his pen and signed yet _another_ report to distract himself from the implications. He could already feel the heat coiling at the base of his belly. "About the attack. Why are you bringing it up? The investigation's gone cold." It had been three years since the attack and the Ninth was _still_ pushing their resources. Granted, Xanxus thought, the man had the right to be overprotective because Tsunayoshi was his _last_ heir but… three years? That was kind of pushing it—and besides, did the man honestly think that the attacker was dumb enough to strike again with things still hot (because at this point, there was no doubt in any of the higher echelons' minds that it was an inside job)?

"You know that Colonnello requested a transfer, right?" Reborn asked. "Shortly after Tsuna dropped the Vendice bomb on us?" Xanxus grunted in confirmation as he read over a maternity leave request—from a fucking _male_, no less. What the hell was this? "Well, I asked Colonnello to keep his eyes out and he called me the night before we arrived here in Italy—apparently, Iemitsu has been meeting with someone for the past six months and has arranged to start meeting this mysterious someone in person."

"Does Tsunayoshi know about this?" Xanxus asked, looking up at him with a frown etched into his brow.

"No." Reborn admitted. "I'm not going to tell him yet. I want to investigate this further because if I go in even half cocked without proof, I'll be eviscerated regardless of my standing as an Arcobaleno."

"Why would they go that far? Aren't you like the Council's favorite?" The Council was on par with the Vendice themselves. They were old Dons, Guardians, and assassins that refused to get out of the game. They were the ones that took care of the trials and the executions. They were judge, jury and executioner and, if need be, they were the ones that got the information for Vendice.

Or Double-oh-seven Mafia style, as Tsuna said it.

That boy watched too many movies.

"Not recently, no." Reborn mused. "Mostly because they believe the whole kidnapping fiasco three years ago was my fault. I told them they could take it up their asses."

"Even with Tsunayoshi testifying on your behalf?" Xanxus raised an eyebrow. He knew those old fuckers were stuck up but he didn't thick they were _that_ stuck up.

"Even with Dame-Tsuna testifying on my behalf." Reborn took off his fedora and raked a hand through his hair.

Xanxus blew out a breath. "So? Do you want me to pull some strings? Lal used to serve as the Varia's Rain before I gave her the boot." And hadn't _that_ ended badly? She hated his guts for his demotion but he didn't want someone who was loyal to that old bat Tyr in _his_ squad.

Reborn looked startled for a fraction of a second before he smirked. "It's like you read my mind."

* * *

Squalo caught Sawada as he fell, his eyes narrowing as the implications of this… situation… finally dawned on him.

Sawada was an Arcobaleno now and from the looks of it, no one else knew about it yet.

Oh, it was no secret that the Sky Arcobaleno were Seers and that they were prone to blacking out after their prophecies were formed and Viper had included the Varia in on her business as an Arcobaleno because it wasn't just her that was being affected by it anymore. It was all of the Vongola.

But this… this was… Squalo didn't know what this was.

_Hide the truth and all will come crashing down_. Squalo knew what that meant.

Sawada was hiding something from them—something _more_ than just his status as an Arcobaleno.

Squalo knew that he had a snowball's chance in hell at getting the information out of Sawada but it was too soon to tell anyone about his suspicions because he lacked definite _proof_—but just because he'd refrain from telling anyone didn't mean he wouldn't confront Sawada when he woke up, if only to satiate his curiosity.

Not to mention…

There was also that whole mess with Iemitsu. Squalo didn't know what he was up to and Sawada said—not _said_, exactly, but implied, Squalo thought—that he wanted to look into Iemitsu's extracurricular activities in the underground tunnels.

His blue-grey eyes narrowed slightly even as he pulled the covers up to Tsuna's chest.

Why did he get the feeling that shit was going to hit the fan by the bucket load?

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Notes:_ ** I didn't mark the scenes that these go with. (I'm sorry!)

1 - I may or may not have mentioned this in the previous fic but Daemon's betrayal was slightly different. I had a headcanon back when I saw the Inheritence Succession sub-arc in the anime and it still applied even after the whole Shimon arc. I won't tell because that'll spoil almost half of the plot I have planned for this.

2 - Okay, I was watching Labyrinth (and getting a major plot bunny that would replace the Future and Arcobaleno arcs) when I was typing this. This line is taken from when Sarah sees Ludo for the fist time. She says, "Well I'm not afraid. Things are not always what they seem in this place."

3 - I have no idea where this quote came from but it goes "The darkest fires burn the hottest. The hottest fires destroy the most. That which is destroyed by those savage flames can rise from the ashes to be reborn." I tried to google it but nothing came up. That was the inspiration behind the title for Darkest Fire.

4 - Partially inspired by the song Dancer in the Dark by The Ramsus. Not exactly a prophecy... more like a warning.

5 - Lawlz. Writer's cramp.

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


	3. Chapter 3: And So It Begins

_**Author's Note: **_Well. This chapter was a bitch and a half to get out. I just hope it's satisfactory. Let me know what you think!

Short chapter is short.

* * *

Bermuda had a plan. He had formulated the plan a long time ago but had been waiting for the right _bait_ to dangle on the edge of his little trap… and now he had it. Now all he needed to do was lure him out and strike faster than he could vanish from this plane of existence.

And what better way to get the man's attention than to send the Sky Arcobaleno five hundred years into the past?

Bermuda approached the portal he would use and froze it at the time he wanted. It was a late, stormy night. Bermuda remembered the typhoon that lasted for two days and nights, the clouds fading before the sun rose on the third day. This was where he would send him.

He paused when he noticed a man stalking Elena. Strange—_that_ hadn't happened before. Was this another branch-dimension?

He watched, horror filling him as the man slit Elena's throat. She wasn't supposed to die yet. The eternal Arcobaleno grit his teeth. '_At least there will be a diversion._' He thought. Tsuanyoshi couldn't ask questions if he was busy hunting someone that was starting the domino effect a tad too early.

Someone, Bermuda discovered when he saw the cloak the man wore. He took out a camera and snapped an image of the man's face for a facial recognition scan. He was not surprised to see that he was in their database.

"_**Has shown increased hostilities and an ongoing vendetta against the Vongola. High risk subject. No release.**_" He read aloud. "_**What do you think, Jager? Is the bait too obvious or shall I tempt him some more?**_"

"_**The bait for the one who cursed us could not be better. The bait for Vongola Decimo, however, will cause some suspicion.**_"

True. It had to be someone worthy of Tsunayoshi's skill. "_**...**__**how strong is his vendetta against the Vongola?**_" Bermuda asked.

Jager froze. "_**You aren't planning on giving him the Night Flame, are you?**_" He asked. Bermuda said nothing. Jager bowed his head. "_**So be it. Shall I retrieve him?**_"

"_**No. I will go to him.**_" Bermuda leapt off of the pedestal and entered the portal, seconds before the man jumped out of the shadows. "_**For the crimes you have committed, you are under arrest.**_" He said, throwing the collar at the man and watching as it latched securely. Behind him, Elena gasped. "_**Tonight is your lucky night, Signora. Return to the Vongola Estate and notify the Vongola of your near-demise.**_"

"What is the meaning of this?" She asked, fear evident but not showing in her voice. Despite himself, Bermuda was impressed.

Bermuda thought about it for a second—it would be easier to lie to one of Giotto's guardians than it would be to lie to Giotto directly. "_**There is a new enemy out for the Vongola's blood.**_" He said. There wasn't—at least not yet. He needed to create one.

Laughter rang out from the man in chains. "You don't even know the half of it."

Bermuda froze, pulling the chains so that the man stumbled forward. "_**Don't worry. You'll have **__**plenty**__** of time to tell us.**_"

Maybe he would not need to create one after all.

* * *

When Tsuna woke up, it was to a pounding headache that had him seeing spots. Squalo was sitting on the chair beside him. "I can live without that." Tsuna deadpanned, drawing the Rain's attention from the book to him. "The passing out, I mean."

"I could too." Squalo said dryly. "Scared me half to death, mini-boss."

Tsuna apologized. "It's a side effect from being an Arcobaleno." He added quietly, watching Squalo's reaction. Squalo shook his head.

"Do the others know?"

"I haven't tapped into the power that the pacifier grants me. I will tell them when the curse activates."

"Then why are you telling _me_?" Squalo asked, his eyes narrowing nervously.

Tsuna met his gaze. "Because I need you to do some investigating for me." Squalo's eyes widened. "When I have visions, they wipe me out and I'm left indisposed for _days_ after the fact because the strain that the pacifier is putting me under is twice the normal amount _because_ the curse isn't activated."

A penalty, Squalo realized. "You want me to look into Iemitsu and his little spy." He said.

Tsuna nodded. "Yes." He grimaced. "I must ask that you do so in secret."

Squalo shivered as the warning from before came back. "...I _heavily _advise against it." Squalo said but he knew it was futile. Tsuna sighed quietly.

"If Reborn and Xanxus knew Iemitsu was a traitor, they'd execute him without a second thought." Tsuna said. "I resent the man and will never see him as my father _but_ he is of my blood so you can understand when I say I don't want to see him dead." Squalo could but after the way the bastard's been acting since the tenth generation got their memories from the future, he didn't share the same compassion. "_However_, if he steps out of line, I give you the authority to issue an execution for him—just make sure no one ever finds out about it."

_Take care of it personally_.

Squalo couldn't help the shark-like grin that spread over his lips. "Yes, _Decimo_."

* * *

The darkened, cobble-stone-paved streets of Sicily only seemed to darken even further as the black clouds—storm clouds only lit up by seemingly random flashes of lightning shortly followed by the bellowing yowl of thunder—hovered over the town. Rain continued to pound restlessly on the stone road. The cliffs surrounding the large island were being collided with harsh, brutal waves that the monsoon stirred mercilessly. Another strike of lightning illuminated the sky. The harsh sound of thunder echoed across the entire island and the rain poured down even more atrociously than it had before.

Giotto sighed as he ran his index finger and thumb over his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose in a failed attempt to sedate a headache. His intuition usually cried out to him to sedate the painfully restraining storm—as it always had a nasty habit of enclosing the Sky which is something that could not be helped—but he was always powerless to do anything.

This was the weather after all and Sky Flame or not, he had not the power to disperse the vile, murky clouds that coated his residence. He should know. He's tried it before.

The blonde Italian sighed gently as exhaustion began to set in. His intuition snarled and cackled in the back of his mind as he sensed a sort of foreboding horror—as if someone was calling to him for help… as if their life depended on it.

Giotto sighed once again, "This storm is really getting to me." He murmured gently. G looked up from his position on the window sill—a cigar hanging loosely in-between his teeth. The dim light from the fire that resided in the fireplace caused the shadows in the room to dance and only for a moment were the shadows dispelled as a strike of lightning flittered across the sky and into their range of view.

Alaude, the ever-so-aloof Cloud Guardian, rested his hand on the white, granite surface of the extraordinary piece. "What troubles you?" He asked with a delicate tilt of his platinum-blonde head. His ice-blue eyes narrowed slightly when Daemon—who was reading a book on the murky enshrouded side of the room—looked at him.

"It's nothing…" Giotto assured with a tired smile. "My head just aches from the storm."

The room was unusually quiet—at least it was before Giotto's headache intensified, at which point a ringing started in his ears—for having all of his Guardians in the same room. Daemon hovered in the darker corner skimming through a book he had found while Alaude watched the flames flicker within the fireplace. G was leaning against the window sill as he stared out the window watching the storm. One of his legs was bent while the over pressed firmly against the wall to keep himself from falling. Asari was humming an old tune that he could not place on his flute—it was a gentle, soothing sound that was welcomed by the Guardians at this moment—in one of the thrown-chairs that surrounded the fireplace. Knuckles was reading a bible across from Asari with his leg crossed over his knee while Lampo casually lounged with his arms behind his head and his legs crossed in a form similar to Knuckle's only he was in a laying position on the emperor's couch that faced the fireplace. His eyes were closed but he was obviously awake if the way his foot was rocking in tune with the music that Asari so generously supplied was any clue.

Giotto dipped his quill in the black ink once again before writing some more on the starched paper. Only when his vision doubled and the pain intensified did he leave the quill in the ink-dish and leaned back.

"Your headaches generally come with an unfortunate series of events." Daemon supplied with an ever-so-arrogant smirk. "Is there anything I might be of service to help?"

Alaude huffed slightly, "_You_ only ever make things worse." With a sniff of disdain, he turned back to the flickering flame that danced in a sort of taunting movement. Daemon's work no doubt but Alaude knew better than to lose his cool when in the confines of Primo's study. The Frenchman bit back a shudder at that.

"I'll be fine, Daemon." Giotto assured once again. "It's probably my imagination." _'I hope it's my imagination…'_ Giotto corrected silently as he turned his head to look out the window where the storm continued to brew.

He knew he would never be so lucky.

* * *

Xanxus and Reborn were turning the corner when they saw Squalo. "Were you with Tsunayoshi last night?" Reborn asked.

Squalo nodded absently, still caught up in whatever he was thinking. Xanxus' eyes narrowed. "Did you get an assignment?" He demanded. Squalo's eyes widened a fraction and his shoulders tensed before he matched Xanxus' gaze without wavering.

"Nope."

Xanxus' eyes narrowed as he searched his Rain's face for any trace of a lie. His Flame was lashing out, telling him that the words he spoke weren't true but physically, he looked like he was telling the truth—which meant only one thing.

Tsunayoshi had ordered him to keep quiet.

"So he ordered you into silence then." Reborn mused. Squalo's eyes widened, giving him away. "Don't try and fool someone who knows the Don better than he knows himself." He said, smirking in that arrogant, irritating way.

Squalo glared at him. "He warned me that you were perceptive but I wanted to see for myself." Squalo said. "That's why he also made sure to give me a message—he'll stop keeping secrets when you do."

It took all of his power not to flinch when both men's eyes narrowed at him. "Is that so." Reborn murmured.

Ice ran down Reborn's spine as a _very_ familiar presence washed over him. Squalo spun, eyes wide, to look back where the presence was coming from. '_Tsuna!_' They all thought before they were bolting down the hallways and prying at the door that suddenly _would not _open.

"Move." Xanxus said before he kicked the door knob, guns drawn. The sight they walked in on was horrifying. Tsuna's eyes had become lifeless, his Flame flickering pathetically against the restraints that all but sucked it dry.

"_**For the crimes you have committed against the Vendice, you are under arrest, Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo.**_"

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


	4. Chapter 4: Arriving in the Past

_**Author's Note: **_I'm getting better at this updating thing now that I have internet back. Questions, concerns, complaints? Leave 'em in the review section.

* * *

The cold, cruel aura of Vendice almost sent him to his knees. "_**Vongola Decimo**__**.**_"

Tsuna didn't turn from the window. "Bermuda." He said. He felt the cold heat from the Night Flame against his back and didn't have to turn to know that Jager was behind him with a collar just above his neck. He smiled humorlessly. "Make it look convincing." He said just before the door burst open.

"**_For the crimes you have committed against the Vendice, you are under arrest, Sawada Tsunayoshi, Vongola Decimo._** "

The feeling of the chains biting into his skin was worse than he thought it would be. Entering the portal was much worse—but perhaps, the worst feeling of all was seeing the tortured look that crossed both Xanxus and Reborn's faces just before the portal closed.

'_Do not fear, my Elements. I will return shortly._' He thought as soon as the haze the chains presented cleared some.

"_**Your mission is a simple one—protect the Vongola. Because the danger will be trebled if you remain as you are, we will use the Night Flame to reverse the age of your body and Flame. Unmarked Skies are worth ten times their weight in gems—marked Skies are worth twice that, triple if the set is complete. Dying Will Flames may be rare in this time but the few that do have them are strong—much stronger than those that you are accustomed to. **__**Underestimate no one. Trust no one.**_"

"What is my cover story?" Tsuna asked, rubbing his neck.

"_**You're a smart boy, I'm sure you can come up with something.**_"

Tsuna closed his eyes. "Coming up with something isn't the problem. Lying is. Primo's Intuition will tell him that I am lying."

"_**Then tell us and we will make it true.**_"

Well.

"...before I come up with a backstory, I have to ask. If I die there, what will happen?"

"_**The body that you will be using is an avatar of sorts. It will not be your real body. If it is killed, your… soul, for lack of a better term, will return to your original body—however.**_" Tsuna tensed. Always a catch. "_**When you return to your body, the Arcobaleno curse will be active and your days will be numbered.**_"

* * *

Giotto grimaced as he set down his quill and shook out the ache in his hand. He absolutely loathed paperwork. It never seemed to end. It was like an inverted abyss—growing taller and taller instead of sinking and white instead of black. It was a crime against nature. It was…

It was his duty as a Mafia Boss.

Damn you, G, he thought spitefully. His rambling was starting to become a justification for staying inside on a perfect day. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping. It was _perfect_ outside (unlike yesterday and the day before). Why did his stupid Storm have to pick _today_ to chain him to his desk?

Why couldn't he have done it _yesterday_ when it was still _storming_?

(He wasn't even joking—there was literally a hidden compartment under the desk right next to his foot that held a shackle that G used to _chain him to the desk_ when he felt that his boss hadn't done enough paperwork for the week and not only was it made with some sort of special material that could, apparently, withstand his Flame, but it was also nearly impossible to pick—not that Giotto _couldn't_ pick it… it was just a hassle and took almost a full thirty minutes of careful listening to do so.)

G had woken him up out of a dead sleep, quite literally _picked him up_ and sat him down on the chair. Before he could do anything about it, he'd _locked_ the shackle and told him that he was going to get at least half of his paperwork done or he was going to personally tell the chef that Giotto was going without dessert.

That had been this morning. It was now midday.

Giotto couldn't sit here anymore. He needed some fresh air or he was going to go _mad_.

So, without further delay, he reached into the bottom drawer and took out his lock-picking set. Paperwork could damn well _wait_.

After the lock fell away, Giotto slipped through the halls carefully, avoiding anyone and everyone as he did so. Even the maids didn't see him. He made it outside but knew he was far from safe. Once he made it into the village, he could let his guard drop just a little. The streets of northeast Palermo were busy at this time of day and the crowds would aide him in his quest for freedom.

Okay. He was being dramatic. This was G and not some rogue assassin hired by his enemies. He could admit that much but damn! Was it too much to ask for a little break every now and then? He couldn't stand being inside for as long as it took to even put a dent in the ever growing pile of horror.

It made his butt sore just thinking about it.

Inconspicuously rubbing his lower back, Giotto continued his trek towards the gates that would lead him off of his property and into the village. Just a few more steps and he would be free.

"And where do you think you're going?"

He felt something inside of him whiter and die.

Attempting to keep his misery from reflecting in his smile, he turned to face his right hand. "I'm just stretching my legs, G. You know I hate being in one place for too long."

G raised an unimpressed eyebrow while gazing steadily at him but Giotto didn't falter. Whatever G was looking for, he wouldn't find. Giotto wasn't lying.

G sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Giotto…"

Whatever he was going to say, whatever lecture he was going to give, never came. The gates, just eight feet away from them, slammed open with enough force to break the chain that kept it closed. The two of them slipped into battle ready stances, their Flames coiling under their skin, ready to be called upon, when a black horse kicked the gates open once more with a metallic clang. The rider was covered by a black cloak that covered his or her entire body.

The two of them tensed, their Flames manifesting on their chosen weapons as they readied for an attack…

…that never came.

The horse settled down, ducking its head in submission while the one riding it slid off with little-to-no grace only to become a hunched figure on the ground.

A hunched figure that, as it turned out, had blood pooling underneath it.

Giotto reacted first. "Go get Knuckle!" He said, ignoring the way the villagers all gathered at the gate and looked in at the scene that was playing out before them. G wasn't foolish enough to hesitate. Giotto angled himself so that he was blocking the crowd's view of the stranger before he pulled the cloak aside.

His breath caught in his throat.

The person before him, while covered in blood, was one of the most beautiful people he'd ever seen. His dark, caramel hair contrasted against ivory skin. His face reminded Giotto of those of beautiful sculpted porcelain dolls, with each feature made of perfection. He was nothing more than a child, maybe fifteen at the oldest.

Giotto quickly averted cerulean eyes away from his face and down to the wound. It looked like… claw marks, as though something had raked its claws down the front of him. Had he been attacked by an animal? But the marks were bigger than any animal attack he'd ever seen… Giotto didn't get to ponder the wound for long.

Knuckle crouched down beside him, arriving on the scene just as Giotto tore strips from the cloak to staunch the bleeding.

But there was not much hope for the child—young, too young, Knuckle had thought when he saw how small the boy actually was when they moved him after getting a majority of his wounds to stop bleeding—because by the time Knuckle moved on to healing away, with the aid of his Sun Flames, most of the boy's blood had soaked the ground around them. At this point, Knuckle was willing to say that there wasn't any hope at all.

"If he lives through the night, it will be a miracle." Knuckle said, wiping the blood from his hands after the ordeal was over with. They had retreated into the mansion where the boy was now resting in one of the rooms.

"Did he say anything that might lead us to who he is?" G asked.

"I believe he said a name but I am not entirely sure." Knuckle looked apologetic. "It sounded like _Reborn_."

Giotto frowned. Such an odd name. Was it his—or was it the person he was looking for (if he was even searching for someone at all?)? There was too much mystery surrounding the child. "Do not worry about it for now. If the child survives, we can ask him when he wakes." Giotto hated how easily the words left his lips. This life was hardening his viewpoint on the death of a child—or maybe it was the time they lived in; a time where corpses lined the streets because people were too ill to bury them.

He sighed. "Get some rest, everyone. I will watch over our guest tonight."

"You need your rest too." G said, glaring at him.

"Do you really think that I will be able to sleep after today's twist?" Giotto asked, raising a slender eyebrow.

"No but I know that you're going to work yourself sick if you aren't careful."

'_Not enough work, too much work, make up your mind, G. You're sending me mixed signals._' He didn't say it—saying it would be _asking_ for punishment. "I will pace myself, G." Giotto promised, saying the words as though they were a solemn vow and in a way, he supposed they were. He never broke his promises.

G knew that, too, so the small promise appeased him. Slightly.

"Don't stay up too late, Giotto." G said, his shoulders slumping. He knew that he'd be fighting a pointless battle if he tried to deter Giotto from doing anything. This was a _child's life_ they were talking about. Giotto wouldn't be able to sleep until he knew, one way or the other, if the child would live or die.

And boy did G hope the kid lived.

It wasn't something the Vongola Guardians flaunted but sometimes, on the days when the dead outnumbered the living, their Sky would recede into himself. He would lock himself in some dark corner of his mind and his (unmarked, although they didn't know it—he hadn't told them about that nifty little feature of their Flames because of the method used) Elements would spend the rest of the week trying to coax him back out. It was a horrifying thing to watch because when he was like that, they couldn't leave him alone.

The one time they did, they'd almost paid the price for it.

Giotto was not surprised to see his childhood friend stay behind while the others (those that were here, at least—Daemon was at the Duke's castle courting Elena, Alaude was off on an information hunt and Asari would return come morning, so really, it was really only Knuckle) retreated to their rooms.

"Let's play the game of letters." G said and Giotto almost groaned. He hated that forsaken game. It was like a key to his thoughts and G knew it.

"You go first." He said, waving a hand at G. They sat in the study that was just down the hall from the room that the boy was resting in. G reached over for the sand-timer and flipped it.

"My word is _home_."

* * *

"I can't believe this." Haru whispered, turning into Bel's chest when her Sky delivered the news. They had called everyone directly involved with Tsuna—the Arcobaleno, the Varia and his Elements as well as the Ninth Generation Guardians.

Iemitsu was eerily silent. Squalo peeked a glance at the man's eyes and resisted the urge to flinch. The man was _livid_.

At least he knew where the intimidating glare came from.

"...has the Council caught wind of this yet?" Iemitsu asked.

"No." Timoteo said.

"Let's keep it that way." With that, Iemitsu stormed out. Reborn heard Xanxus grumble under his breath and began rubbing soothing circles at the center of his back. He felt Xanxus tense for a second under his touch before he relaxed.

"Am I the only one that thinks Iemitsu is losing his touch?" Lal asked dryly.

"I thought I was the only one that noticed." Basil muttered.

"Iemitsu's been slipping." Reborn agreed. "But now that the bafoon is gone, let's talk shop. Am I the only one that thinks this '_arrest_' is a little too convenient?"

"As much as I'd like to agree, I have a feeling that this '_arrest_' isn't really an arrest." Verde said, pushing up his glasses. "I believe that the Vendice are calling on that debt that he owes them—you know, the one that allowed Rokudo to be released?"

"He had it covered." Reborn countered. "He _swore_ to me that he had it covered."

"The Vendice may not agree." Verde said simply.

"Do you know what they may be asking him to do?" Takeshi asked.

"...that's the million dollar question, isn't it?" Xanxus grouched. "What do they have him doing and why can't they do it themselves?" Squalo couldn't mask his flinch. Xanxus' garnet eyes cut to him and he said one Wrath-laced word that had him saying as much as he dared. "_Speak._"

"...in all of the attacks on the First Generation, what two stand out the most?"

"The Coup that Daemon Spade planned when he betrayed Primo and the Rainbow Slaughter incident." Xanxus said.

The Rainbow Slaughter incident was an instance in which seven people were killed by forcing their life force to liquify.

It was strange. To this day, no one could figure out how or why it was done.

"Well, Tsunayoshi asked me to investigate a series of murders with a similar MO—the only difference is, instead of laying in a pool of their liquified life force, they're laying in a pool of paint that matched their Element."

"Did he say why?" Reborn asked.

Squalo shook his head. Xanxus cursed under his breath. "He did say he thought they were somehow related though."

"Well, since he gave you the orders, you and Hayato can collaborate on the investigation."

Squalo grit his teeth and glared at the Arcobaleno. "Go screw yourself." He spat. "You aren't Head of the CEDEF yet. I don't follow your orders." He had other things he had to be doing—like investigating a traitor.

"No, but you do follow _mine_." Xanxus said. "Unless there's something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?"

His jaw clenched so hard that he tasted blood in his mouth. "Nothing at all." He said, meeting Xanxus' glare and trying to ignore the twisting in his gut as he lied directly to his Sky's face.

And the worst part was? He knew that Xanxus believed him.

_**Tsuzukeru.**_

* * *

**_Thanks for reading~!_**


	5. Chapter 5: What Do We Have Here?

**_Author's Note_**: Without further delay, I present to you this. Try not to be too angry by this twist, 'mkay?

* * *

Iemitsu was in a fury as he strode through the halls. "Kyoko!" He barked, slamming the door shut behind him. "Give me a status report and it better be a damn good one."

"Nufufu…"

Iemitsu froze, staring at the cloaked figure that sat where his assistant was supposed to be. "You're not Kyoko…" Iemitsu prowled forward with a pickaxe in hand. "What are you doing here, Daemon Spade?"

"Taking care of a couple of rats, apparently." Daemon removed his hood and narrowed his mismatched eyes at Iemitsu. "You're a fool if you think Tsunayoshi does not suspect your treachery."

"Brave words coming from the _original_ traitor." Iemitsu snarled, whipping out his pick-axe and sending it towards the illusionist who vanished into mist. "With the way things are working out, I won't be needing my son for very much longer."

An icy chill ran down Daemon's spine. Tsunayoshi could _not_ die before the curse was activated (and it would be when he returned to this timeline). If he did, he'd be turned into a child and he would have to age all over again. Daemon was hoping to spare him of that.

"What do you mean?"

"It means that I still have one ace that even the Ninth won't argue with."

Daemon almost cursed. Enrico. That little bitch. He staged it. He staged his death to trick his father so he could get to Tsunayoshi directly. He knew that something happened between the two of them but he didn't know what—all he was responsible for was damage control and that bastard Kaiser wouldn't let him near the Vongola boy.

It was a miracle that he let his son go near him.

"Nufufu. You must have Enrico then." Daemon said with an arrogant tilt of his lips.

"Who told you?" Iemitsu demanded.

His smile widened and he laughed mockingly at Iemitsu. "You did, just now. How did you do it?"

Iemitsu's reply was tight. "Plastic surgery and tattoos. Since you have a basic outline of what is supposed to happen, humor me. What happens in the past?"

"Your assistant dies. She's a special type of illusionist that lets her manipulate the timeline at will. She is trapped with Tsunayoshi in the past when the Vongola was going to war with Lord Kosenmark and his wife Ilse of the Gambino Family. He lands on the night of a peace-gathering at Lord Kosenmark's estate.

"To put it bluntly, it is a whorehouse with hidden rooms and listening holes. It becomes ours, eventually, but only Tsunayoshi will be able to get through the front door lest you catch a nasty curse."

Iemitsu grit his teeth. Kyoko would be able to bring back valuable intel. He wondered briefly if she would directly oppose the Vongola or try and weasel her way into Elena's heart. Either way, she would die. He could use Oregano again but she was touchy since Tsunayoshi announced Reborn as the new head of CEDEF.

"Why are you here?" Iemitsu asked with a clenched jaw.

"It was by Giotto's request that I remained when the others left Italy to retire in Japan. He wanted to make sure little Tsunayoshi knew that he was not dead. It's quite a pity that your boy was not born for five hundred years after we met him."

As he thought. "Then the Vendice…?"

"They've recruited Tsunayoshi for a long-term mission. He will be back before the week is over, I assure you. It's quite a pity that you won't be greeting him when he returns."

Then that would be the rumor that leaked. He wasn't going to get out of this without a few scars. He wondered if he would be younger or older or if he was even going to change at all. All while he thought, Iemitsu spun blindly, looking for his opponent before he uttered a foul curse. "Where are you hiding?"

"Behind you."

Before he could turn, a gunshot rang out and Iemitsu was struck from behind. The blade to Daemon's scythe tore his flesh like a hot spoon melted through butter. Iemitsu screamed from the pain but quickly lashed out. He knocked the illusionist on his ass. The Sky smirked.

"Don't get cocky. You'll still bleed out before help comes to you."

Iemitsu growled. "Why do this, Daemon Spade? I'm doing the same thing you were."

Daemon's smirk fell and he snarled. "Don't _ever_ assume slaughtering innocent people is the route I would take. I don't like having bad blood on my hands and over the centuries the Vongola has become the shadow that makes people lock their doors at night. That was never my intention. I was a fool to trust Ricardo and I was a fool to leave things as they were with Giotto until the day he vanished from everyone's sight."

Iemitsu's eyes narrowed into slits. "What?"

"I'm saying…" Daemon growled, his syllables becoming long and dragged out with irritation. "That the First Generation _lives_."

Iemitsu's eyes widened and he fell on his knees. "Then—"

"Your little scheme—your little coup… it won't work."

Iemitsu snarled something unintelligible. "Then why?! Why come back? Why come back after all of these years and _fuck everything up_?!" He screamed, circling blindly. "Give me back my sight!"

Daemon manifested before him and forced him onto his knees. Somehow, they had ended up in Iemitsu's office. No one was around and Iemitsu wasn't expecting anyone. Daemon's scythe sliced into the back of his knees and Daemon forced the barrel of a Colt 45 down his throat. "It's quite simple really. Tsunayoshi and I never finished our chess game." Daemon cocked the gun. "This, nufufu, well this is checkmate. Goodbye, traitorous trash."

**_BANG!_**

And Iemitsu knew no more.

* * *

Squalo froze when the sharp scent of wet earth and fog hit him. The swordsmen spun, readying his weapon. He was surprised when another blade met his and sparks made of Dying Will Flames rained down around them. Blue and indigo—his rain Flames and someone else's Mist Flames.

He snarled, "Show yourself!"

"Nufufu." The eerily familiar laughter rang out but he didn't dare drop his guard. "Oya, oya, you've got sharp reflexes."

"You flatter me, First Generation Mist Guardian." Squalo lowered his blade and glared at him. "Why are you here?"

"I need to speak with the Arcobaleno and your boss. You need not worry about your rats anymore. An exterminator has stepped in and leveled the playing field."

"Dare I ask?" Squalo muttered.

"Don't ask questions you aren't ready to hear the answers to—besides, you'll find out later." Daemon's scythe fell away in a flash of indigo. "Tonight at midnight, gather those two here. Tell them that it is of the utmost import that they meet with me."

"What are you up to, Daemon Spade?"

Daemon gave him an eerie smile that made his blood run cold. "You'll see."

* * *

Kyoko wanted to scream when the time-stream did not open up for her. She had to be back to the present era in less than twenty minutes and her powers were failing her now? Of all of the rotten luck!

"Hey, hey, did ya' hear?"

"Hear what?"

"About the bleeding boy that Vongola Primo took in."

Kyoko paused. That was new.

"Tell me, tell me!"

"He was so cute! He didn't look to be very old, only thirteen or fourteen at most but his wounds—it would be a miracle if he survived the night."

"What did he look like?"

"He had bright brown hair with shades of red and gold. His eyes are the same color as his hair and it's so _clean_."

Kyoko had to hide a serpentine smile. So Tsunayoshi was the reason her power was not working. What could she do? Should she directly oppose him or should she manipulate the first generation?

A beautiful blonde woman stepped out of an ornate carriage and she knew what she was going to do. "Mistress Elena! Mistress Elena!" She cried, forcing her voice to sound hysterical. "Oh, it's horrible! I've heard the rumors in town—such gossip. Is it true Primo took in a boy?"

Elena's eyes widened a fraction. "Why do you want to know?" Daemon Spade asked, pulling Elena close.

"Because I believe I might know the boy in question." Kyoko said. "Can you take me to him?" She asked, looking up through her bangs. Elena's eyes narrowed.

"Right now is not a good time." Elena said pompously (in Kyoko's opinion—this woman was nothing like Chrome).

"B-but…" She attempted to get out but Daemon waved her off.

"Begone, harlot. I'm in no mood to fraternize with the working girls."

Kyoko's eyes narrowed as the two of them strode into the crowd, leaving her to fume in silence. "You're making a powerful enemy, First Generation Mist Guardians of the Vongola." Kyoko called out, making her voice louder. "Do not think that your blatant disrespect will go unpunished." Before either of them could turn, she called upon the humid heat lurking under her skin and vanished into wisps. It was a quick but dramatic way to make an escape.

'_Watch out, Tsunayoshi-kun. I'm going to send you a little **present**_.' She reached into her pocket and pulled out a little picture.

It was time for her to use her secret weapon.

* * *

Nana glanced at the clock and sighed. She was not alone in the Sawada household, with Bianchi and Lancia staying here. Tsunayoshi had taken everyone else to Italy for the summer. Some would return when autumn set in but her Tsu-kun was staying abroad to take over Timoteo's company.

It was past midnight and there was a terrible storm.

She could tell that it was prelude to something even more terrifying. Unknowingly, she began to weep. Only when soft whimpers escaped her lips did she realize her face was wet and her cheeks hot.

"Nana, what's wrong?" Bianchi asked, running to her side. Lancia hovered in the doorway, uncertain of how to approach this.

"Bianchi… if I were… to tell you a secret, would you keep it from my husband?"

Bianchi started. "Of course… Lancia?"

"If that is what you desire…" Lancia hesitated. "I will keep it from him."

Nana smiled and her eyes sparked orange. A wisp of Sky Flames appeared on her forehead and parts of her hair became red. Bianchi had seen a similar transformation with Tsunayoshi only with shades of gold and amber. She could see where the family resemblance set in. "Are you sure?" She asked with a seductive purr.

Bianchi and Lancia shuddered as the heat from her Flame settled over them. "But… I thought that… two Skies couldn't produce another Sky." Lancia murmured.

"They can't but I've been genetically modified by the Estraneo Family—my son as well."

Lancia choked. "What?!"

"Let me start from the beginning…" She whispered. "For seven long years, Iemitsu worked abroad. I raised Tsunayoshi on my own… but something happened. Someone found us—one of Iemitsu's enemies…" Bianchi stiffened. She did _not_ like where this was going. "Or maybe one of mine, I'm not sure anymore. Tsunayoshi never gave me any information and I didn't pry. They… they were waiting in a black van. They got us while we were walking home from school on the last day before summer vacation. They held us for two months—for the entire duration of the summer—before they released us. I don't remember the experiments but… Tsu-kun… he has nightmares."

Lancia took a breath. "There were two unmarked files that had no pictures. Would… would you like me to retrieve them?"

"Medical files?" Nana asked.

"Yes…" He hesitated.

"You know what they did to me." She said softly. "I'm sorry. I know it's hard but they threatened my son. I wasn't going to let him die…"

"I know—you have nothing to apologize for. If you don't mind me asking, how has Tsunayoshi hidden his transgenic traits?"

Nana's lips twitched. "He hasn't."

"What do you mean?" Bianchi asked.

"They added feline DNA. He has… heat cycles." Lancia choked on laughter. "Don't tell anyone I said that! He has a hard enough time fending off suitors."

"Oh, you have no idea how wrong you are. He's already pinned between two and they're _sharing_ him. It's a terrifying trio."

"Did he ever get with Reborn?" Nana asked.

"Yes." Bianchi smirked. "No grandchildren."

"Oh no, Tsu-kun will still have kids. He just hasn't decided with whom yet."

Lancia sighed and left the room. He needed a cigarette. Before he could leave the room, a figure stepped out of the shadows. His eyes widened. "You're…"

Blonde hair fell away to reveal amber eyes that glittered with amusement. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lancia of the Vongola." Giotto di Vongola said, bowing at the waist. "I must ask that you keep my appearance a secret."

"How have you survived these past five hundred years?" Bianchi asked and then she flushed at how rude she must have sounded.

Giotto waved away her embarrassment with a warm laugh. "I think a better question would be how I maintained my sanity with my Elements always bickering."

"This is my ultimate secret." Nana said. "My family has kept him hidden and protected from the Mafia until now but my son's involvement has stirred up an age old enemy of the Vongola."

"Law enforcement?" Giotto asked dryly. Bianchi was startled when laughter escaped her throat.

"You know which one." Nana said softly, her Flame fading away.

"Indeed I do, but I was trying to lighten the mood." Giotto sighed. "Nana, my precious descendant. Your son will be fine. I will die before I let anything happen to him."

"That's what I'm afraid of!" Nana cried. "Your immortality has lasted this long—why is it fading now?"

"Nana, sweet little Nana… I always knew that the consequence of splitting the Rings powers between the Trinisette was going to be hard… but enough time has passed that I grow weary of seeing my sons and daughters die off while I continue to live in this cursed world.

"One day, when this centuries old war is over, I will close my eyes for the last time. Before then, I want to see my little angel one more time." Giotto froze. "Get down!" He called out, kicking the table over and getting behind it with Lancia and Nana while Bianchi called out her scorpions as the windows shattered and glass rained inward. Tear gas began to fill the halls.

The house was being raided.

* * *

_In other news, the FBI conducted a raid on a house in Namimori , Japan. Police are considering this the biggest bust since—_

Daemon turned off the TV and sighed. "Giotto, you fool, what have you done?" He murmured. The door opened and he smirked. "Hello, Renato Sinclair."

"Daemon." Reborn's eyes became shadowed by his fedora. "It has begun then."

"Yes. It has begun." Daemon stood. "In three days, the others will arrive in Italy for the first time in four hundred years. I wish for the Arcobaleno to be read in to the current happenings. It is by Primo's request I am here and it is by his request that I will not be around when Tsunayoshi returns."

"What have you been up to?" Reborn murmured.

"I'm an exterminator now, apparently." Daemon muttered sarcastically. "Your rats will no longer be a problem. Tell your Rain he no longer has to worry about the investigation into Iemitsu's extracurricular activities."

Xanxus' eyes widened a fraction. "What?"

"Oya? Were you left out of the loop? Oops." Daemon didn't sound all that bothered by the wrath he unleashed. "That's nothing compared to the bigger picture."

"What is the bigger picture?" Xanxus asked warily, his eyes picking up an eerie glow.

"There's been a war between ghosts and shadows since the night of Ricardo's coronation and your Sky…" Daemon chuckled. "Nufufu, well, it's safe to say that young Tsunayoshi has stepped on the line that separates the two."

"What are you blathering about?" Reborn snapped.

"I'm saying that even the Number One should consider locking his doors at night. Keep all of your valuables locked away in a forbidden tower or something, lest some of them _go missing_."

And then Daemon was gone.

The door burst open a second later with Squalo, red-faced and panting. Before Xanxus could think about making a scathing remark, Squalo burst out, "The kid's parents have been assassinated."

* * *

"What are you still doing here?"

Sierra looked up in surprise to see Eric, her partner, leaning against the rail of the balcony. She had stepped out of the building to smoke. "Finishing our reports. I still can't believe I let a suspect die in custody."

"It was an assassination. It happens quite a bit with this particular Family."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like this, yeah? Every time we bring down a warehouse or something that links directly to the Vongola, the people arrested end up dead either via suicide or murder so we end up with no leads. The people that were killed were important to them and held very valuable info. The ones that escaped… now those are the ones you gotta look out for because they saw your face and your badge."

"I'm not scared of the Vongola."

"And that is why big boss picked you instead of me." Eric said with a dry, sarcastic smile. "Don't worry too much. The ones that escaped… we've had them before."

"Well the next time I catch them, I'm _keeping_ them." She said darkly.

"Good luck with that one, mate." Eric said, nudging her shoulder. "Come on. Let's go get a drink."

"What was the suspect's relationship with Vongola Decimo?" Sierra asked.

"I suspect that she may have been his mother or sister."

"Wait… Sawada… why does that name sound so familiar?" She murmured to herself. "I feel like… I already know the identity of Vongola Decimo."

"Let me know if you remember, 'kay?" Eric said before he walked ahead of her. Sierra slowed to a stop before her vision began to get blurry. What the hell was happening to her?

Before Eric turned, her breath caught in her throat and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She tried to grab for Eric but he was too far away. The last thing she saw before everything went black was Eric turning back to ask her what was wrong only to realize she was on the ground.

His lips moved but no sound reached her ears. Her eyes slipped closed and everything faded to black.

* * *

_Where was she? She recognized the endless cityscape that was Japan but she hadn't been there since she was a little girl. She saw her elder brother in the front seat with bright blue eyes and gravity defying blonde hair. "Aniki! Where are we going?" She asked moments before a blue sedan slammed into the side of the van, flipping it._

_How could she have forgotten? This was the last time she saw her brother._

_"Giotto!"_

_"Aniki!" She cried out, hearing her brother's name but he was nowhere in sight. The car burst into flame and she watched, in horror. Surely her brother was not still inside?_

_But he was, she knew he was. She hadn't been wearing her seatbelt. She had gone flying out of the window when the car was hit. That was the only thing that spared her, she heard one of the doctors say._

_Her brother was dead._

_"Come on! You have to run!"_

_Brown eyes, so warm like the sun, spoke of untold horrors if she didn't leave the hospital. His hair was like Aniki's._

_"Where?"_

_"I know where we can go."_

Sierra woke with a start.

She knew the identity of Vongola Decimo.

Sawada Tsunayoshi…

* * *

_The piercing ringing in his ears hadn't stopped since the fire. The men who transported he and his mama weren't doctors. They were assassins sent to lure them away from the house so that they could get to Iemitsu._

_Did his mommy know? They spoke with funny words—not Italian or Japanese. His papa called them the Moltov brothers. That meant they were Russian. But what were they doing here?_

_The 'hospital' looked creepy with green glowing lamps and a pile of dead children. Blood painted the tools before they were dropped in a tin tub with rubbing alcohol. Tsunayoshi was ripped out of his mother's arms and strapped to a table._

_The giant tubes of florescent liquid burned as they imbued with his bloodstream but he felt the heat underneath his skin burn even hotter than before. It thrashed and whined, alerting him of its presence and desire to be set _free_…_

_Before he knew how to process the new urges, they overwhelmed him and he blacked out. When he came to, the room he was in was completely laid to waste. His mother was hugging him and covering him to keep him from inhaling the acrid smoke that filled the desecrated halls._

_All the while, his mother chanted. "Don't worry, baby. This will all go away soon."_

_And that was the last thing he remembered before a bright indigo Flame and eerily familiar laughter filled his ears._

_"Kufufufu…"_

Tsunayoshi woke with a start, reality slamming down onto his prone body like an electrical jolt to the heart.

'_How could I have forgotten? Mukuro sealed my memories._' His lips twisted and it was then that he realized how hot and dry his tongue was. He sat up to pour himself a glass of water from the pitcher by his bed.

That night had been a horrible night—and one of many.

So much happened within the six months it took to find a house in Namimori but those six months were still vague and hard to remember, as though the seal his mother had Mukuro place on him was still somewhat in tact.

'_What else could I have forgotten?_' He wondered but something told him that he didn't want to know the answer to his question. Not yet. It was still too soon.

The door opened. Tsuna tensed when Giotto, flanked by Elena, Daemon and G, walked into the room.

"You're awake." Giotto said in surprise.

"Then maybe you wouldn't mind explaining why a woman, having claimed to know you personally, just declared war on the Vongola." Elena said.

Tsuna's eyes widened. "Kyoko, you little bitch." He seethed. "We have… history." He grit out.

"What? Is she your sister or something?"

"Ex-fiancé."

Giotto frowned. There was a lot more to this interesting stranger that met the eye. His eyes raked over the still-healing wounds.

Much more indeed.

**_Tsuzukeru._**

* * *

Don't kill me.


End file.
